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CineVerse is a weekly film discussion group that explores the universe of cinema. We meet every Wednesday from 7-10 p.m. in Oak Lawn, Ill. at Oak View Center (4625 W. 110th St., click here for directions) in the theater or the room announced on building signage. At every meeting, we discuss a different movie, chosen by our members on a rotating basis. CineVerse is open to anyone 17 years and older. To join our group or for more info, e-mail Erik the founder/moderator at cineversegroup@gmail.com

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Thursday, October 10, 2013

Yesterday, CineVerse took a stroll down the corridors of silent cinema to enjoy "The Phantom of the Opera," which provoked a healthy discussion. Highlights of our group conversation are as follows:

HOW WOULD THIS FILM HAVE
BEEN GROUNDBREAKING, INNOVATIVE AND ATTENTION-GETTING FOR THE MID TO LATE
1920S?

·The studio lavished an exorbitant budget on the
project to make it one of its crown jewel films: the elaborate opera set was
the first concrete and steel stage built in Hollywood, which still stands
today; the two-color Technicolor process used was expensive and complex; and
over 250 dancers were enlisted for the dance sequences.

·The horrific makeup job by Lon Chaney was shocking to
audiences in that era, and a testament to the genius vision of this major
silent era star; likewise, Chaney’s performance, which relies heavily on
exaggerated body language, helps carry the film.

·Likewise, the unmasking scene is one of the most
iconic, famous and horrifying in the history of cinema, although it’s lost its
potential to scare by today’s standards.

·This was the first monster in Universal’s lineup of
famous monsters it would portray on the big screen throughout the 30s, 40s and
50s.

·The film has memorable set pieces: the Phantom
appearing as the Red Death in a tinted color sequence; the sabotaging of the
chandelier; the trek through the many underground layers beneath the opera
house.

·This character also set the template for future horror
villains who were “perceived as insane and clinically institutionalized, only
to later learn that they could not be rehabilitated and perhaps never needed to
be,” according to one critic.

·The movie is also an early example of a
meta-narrative: of containing a play within the play or a performance within
the performance.

THEMES IMBUED IN PHANTOM
OF THE OPERA:

·Rejection and the tragic agony and consequences of unrequited
love.

·The human trait of “masking” our true selves by
fabricating a superficial disguise to cover up a flaw or something we’re
ashamed of. Beauty is only skin deep, and the true beauty of a person lies
beneath the façade they create.

·The dangers of blindly chasing success, fame and
fortune: As one critic put it: “Carlotta’s misguided ambitions and the new
owner’s drive for success ultimately initiate the phantom’s tragic endgame.”

·The duality and dichotomy of man: We’re each capable
of opposite natures, from beautiful and honorable to ugly and cruel.

·The classic love triangle: concerning Erik, Christine
and Raul.

·Redemption: Erik remains a murderous, hunted villain
throughout the movie, but he proves that he’s capable of bestowing kindness on
Christine and releasing her from his ultimatum choice of either sparing Raul’s
life and remaining with him, or leaving him which means Raul dies.

WHAT OTHER FILMS,
CHARACTERS OR WORKS OF LITERATURE DOES THIS MOVIE REMIND YOU OF?

·Beauty and the Beast, another tale of a disfigured
monster who tries to win the love of a beautiful woman.

·The Hunchback of Notre Dame, yet another ugly but
pitiable creature who loves an attractive woman but who must sacrifice himself
for her.

·Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde—a similar tale about the dual
nature of man.

·Frankenstein, which also features a hideous monster
that struggles for acceptance and survival in a world that hates and rejects
him.

OTHER MEMORABLE FILMS
STARRING LON CHANEY

·The Penalty, in which he plays a legless criminal mastermind

·The Hunchback of Notre Dame

·The Unknown, in which he plays an armless circus
performer who throws knives with his feet

·Laugh, Clown, Laugh, in which he portrays a the tragic
clown Pagliacci

·He Who Gets Slapped

·The Unholy Three

·London After Midnight, one of the most famous lost
films in history, destroyed by fire decades ago